Sydney Kings floor general and star Guard, Aaron Bruce, is out for the rest of the current NBL 2011/12 season with a rare but debilitating vertical fracture to his Tibia.
The bad news came ahead of the team’s departure to Townsville tomorrow to play against the NBL Ladder’s number three team, the Crocodiles, on Saturday evening.
Aaron Bruce said that he was naturally extremely disappointed, but the injury was out of hands.
“I can’t control what has happened but I can control my reaction and I intend to turn this event into a positive and get over the surgery and into in to rehabilitation as quickly as possible,” Aaron said.
“I will also be doing as much as I can to encourage and support the team from the bench during the games and from the sideline during training. It is the absolute least I can do to support the coaching team and the players who have been so supportive of me since I joined the Sydney Kings at the beginning of the season,” he added.
Head Coach, Ian ‘Moose’ Robilliard said that Aaron’s contribution to the team and the structured plays would be missed in Townsville but that he is confident the rest of the the team has the motivation and depth to step up and seize the opportunity to respond to Aaron’s forced absence in true Sydney Kings style.
“Our previous planning for the game against the Townsville Crocs may require slight modification, but that is all. We have have Graeme Dann back on the squad and we have a number of players – including Luke Martin, Luke Cooper, and Kevin Ratzch who have all shown they have more to give when needed,” Coach Robilliard said.
“Well guys, and I am saying this to all of them, the Sydney Kings fans need you, Aaron Bruce needs you, and the rest of your fellow players need you. It is up to you to take up the challenge and show Townsville and the rest of the basketball community that in tough times the Kings have what it takes.
“We’ll still be taking a full squad to Townsville and we owe them big time for the recent loss at home. If that isn’t enough to motivate the team to win, I don’t know what is.”
Aaron Bruce will undergo surgery tomorrow (Friday), which will be followed by extensive rehabilitation and physiotherapy.
